Brunt facing uncertain Baggies future
Chris Brunt has a return to international football with Northern Ireland to look forward to this week, but the midfielder admits his long-term future with West Brom is still uncertain.
Brunt missed out on Northern Ireland’s Euro 2016 adventure due to a serious knee injury he picked up in February.
That also caused him to miss the start of the Baggies’ Premier League campaign but after eight months out he made his return, coming off the bench in a 1-1 draw with Tottenham on October 15.
Another substitute appearance followed before Brunt started West Brom’s last two matches, and now he has his sights set on returning to the international fold for Northern Ireland’s 2018 World Cup qualifier against Azerbaijan on Friday.
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But while things are going well for him now, 31-year-old Brunt is unsure as to what lies ahead with his West Brom contract expiring at the end of the season.
“I’ve only got this year left at West Brom,” he said. “That’s not a position I have been in before; I had an option of a further year at West Brom before but this is a new experience.
“It’s the only time I’ve ever played into the last year of my contract but after being out for so long I was just concentrating on getting back out to training and on the pitch.
“The last few weeks have been good but I can’t make too many commitments at the minute.
“After missing out in the summer I had to see if I am capable of playing at this level both with Northern Ireland and my club, and only time will tell that.
“It’s nice to be back playing generally; it’s been a long few months. I was thrown in at the deep end at West Brom but I have felt it a bit this week after a few 45 minutes and two 90 minutes.
“At this moment in time it definitely suits me to be playing more games with Northern Ireland but I really do have to take it one game at a time.
“On the international front I have to take it game by game because I don’t know how this week is going to affect me going back in to West Brom next week.”
